Chapter 110 Day 1 of Transmigrating into a Vintage CEO Novel

Chapter 110: The First Day of Transmigrating into an Old-School CEO Novel

The winter afternoon sunlight streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the Gu family’s old mansion, casting pale patches of light on the floor.

The heating inside the mansion was turned up high, making you feel drowsy and limp all the way to your bones.

Today was the Gu family’s gathering, with members having flown in from all over the world.

In the second-floor study, slightly isolated from the bustle downstairs, the atmosphere was rather tense.

Gu Chengzai, the current head of the Gu family, was over seventy years old. Though his temples were graying, his back remained straight, his gaze sharp, and his presence imposing.

He sank into the wide leather sofa with a grim expression, slowly and forcefully rolling a string of glossy rosewood prayer beads between his fingers, the friction making a dull, grating sound.

Standing before him was his most beloved grandson, Gu Xinghui.

The young man had handsome features and a vibrant energy, but at that moment, he had his head slightly lowered, his brows furrowed, and his face bore obvious signs of defiance and inner struggle.

“Xinghui, I’ll say this one last time.”

Gu Chengzai’s voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable weight. He paused for a moment in rolling the beads: “Fire that intern named Meng Nianwei from the company immediately. Don’t have any further contact with her.”

Gu Xinghui jerked his head up: “Grandfather! Nianwei is a good person—she works hard and is serious about her job. We…”

“Good?”

Gu Chengzai snorted coldly, cutting him off, his eyes revealing an undisguised prejudice based on social status: “A girl who graduated from an ordinary university, with both parents working-class—how good could she possibly be?”

“She’s getting close to you simply because she’s after the wealth and status of the Gu family! Xinghui, you will one day inherit the family business. Your wife must be a well-born lady who can help you and the Gu family, not some sparrow dreaming of becoming a phoenix!”

“Grandfather! You can’t say that about her! Nianwei is not that kind of person!” Gu Xinghui shot back urgently, his cheeks flushed with agitation.

Gu Chengzai slammed his hand on the coffee table in front of him, making the teacups clatter noisily: “You rebellious fool! I think you've been bewitched by a woman!”

Gu Xinghui turned his head away: “I will never break up with Nianwei!”

Seeing his youngest grandson so obstinate, Gu Chengzai frowned even more deeply and snorted coldly: “In any case, this is non-negotiable! I’ve already spoken with your Uncle Lin. Next week, Miss Lin will come to the company as your assistant. You young folks can spend some time together and get to know each other…”

Gu Xinghui's face grew even darker.

Meanwhile, in the first-floor grand hall.

A tall, broad-shouldered man strode in.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, with a black cashmere coat casually draped over his shoulders. His demeanor was cold and stern, his brows deep-set and his eyes piercing, his nose high and bridge straight, his thin lips pressed into a cold, straight line. He gave off an aloof, untouchable aura.

This was Gu Chengzai’s youngest son, Gu Xinghui’s uncle—Gu Mingzhi.

He had lived abroad for many years, controlling all of the Gu family’s overseas assets. His actions were sharp and unpredictable, and he had always been indifferent to internal family affairs, rarely appearing at such occasions.

His sudden return instantly froze the atmosphere in the grand hall. The chatter died down into an eerie hush, and countless eyes, some direct, some furtive, fixed on him.

As if totally unaware of the now-hushed crowd, he walked straight to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a whiskey, the ice cubes clinking crisply.

Holding the glass, Gu Mingzhi leaned against the cabinet, idly swirling the amber liquid in his glass. He clearly couldn't care less about the people in front of him, and even a hint of a sneer flickered in his eyes.

At that moment, on the sofa in the furthest corner of the first-floor side hall, a figure that had been leaning back, pretending to sleep, stirred. His long, slender eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes slowly opened.

An Yi's consciousness slowly surfaced from a murky darkness, breaking free of its restraints.

Just as expected, the rebirth came right on schedule, his body felt strangely light, like it had been totally reset, brimming with burgeoning vitality.

The moment he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the lavish sight of a modern rich family—he'd been reborn again.

The original host's memories flooded in; he was still named An Yi.

This time, his identity was that of an adopted son of the wealthy Gu family. The original host's grandfather was friends with the Gu family patriarch, and before his death, he entrusted him to the Gu family, where he grew up.

So... was he still transmigrating into a story this time?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard clear footsteps from the stairs. He turned to look and saw a young man helping an old man slowly come down the stairs.

Almost the moment he saw that young man—the original host's so-called younger brother, Gu Xinghui—the familiar voice from the comments section, audible only to him, rang out in his mind:

"Here we go! The classic trope, better late than never!"

"That old geezer Gu Chengzai is busting up the couple again!"

"The class barrier is a given!"

"Poor Wei Bao, getting tortured again! (crying)"

"No way, is that Miss Lin really gonna work at the male lead's company? I really hate this kind of plot!!"

"Come on, man, is that Lin chick really about to drop in? I'm clenching my fists!"

"+1!!!"

"Can the male lead just toughen up? He acts like a rage monster around the female lead, and now he’s such a coward?! (side-eye) (picking nose)"

"Is the male lead just caving like that? An Yi would never! The female lead should pick An Yi! (angry)"

"Ugh, it's my fate to fall for the sweet second male lead!"

"Why are you so sure An Yi's the second lead and that he'll fall for the female lead? Didn’t he just help her a few times? The book never explicitly says he likes her."

"That's how it's always set up!"

"The later plot will definitely go this way!"

"There are hints in the text too!"

"..."

An Yi: ...

Indeed.

So he had once again transmigrated into a novel. This time, well...

A vast stream of complex plot information flooded into his mind—this was a typical CEO romance novel from the early era.

The female lead, Meng Nianwei, a strong, kind, and innocent white lotus, meets the domineering CEO male lead, Gu Xinghui, through a coffee-spilling incident, kicking off the classic 'she runs, he chases, she can't escape' plot, misunderstandings, an accidental pregnancy, heart-wrenching angst, and ultimately a happy ending.

And he, An Yi, this time, had transmigrated into the identity of the tragic second male lead in the original story—the one who is gentle and affectionate toward the female lead, selflessly protective, silently devoted, a perfect backup, who ultimately fades away and remains alone after the main couple find their happily ever after.

As the child of an old family friend of the Gu family, he was adopted by the Gu family after his parents died. Nominally, he is Gu Xinghui's adoptive older brother, but in reality, he is a nearly transparent, often overlooked shadow within this dazzling family.

An Yi: "..."

Even though he had weathered the storms of several lifetimes and had long tempered his mind to remain unruffled, An Yi couldn't help but mentally type out a string of ellipses and frantically think: He still couldn't get used to this kind of plot!

This time, he wasn't a villain—he had become a backup option!

Interesting!